Two-cycle engine.



P. J. M; SULLIVAN;

TWO-CYCLE ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED lune-20.1918.

Patented Dec. 10, i918.

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P. J. M, SULLIVAN. VTWO-CYCLE ENGINE.

APPLICATlON FILED JUNE 20, [9!8.

WITNESS Patented Dec; 10, 1918.

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"as NKIIRIS Pirsns co, Fnrnmuimz. wuulmnam a a rrnn STAES PATENT ornion PATRICK J. MONAHAN SULLIVAN, OF WOODCLIFFE-ON-HUDSON, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO MONAHAN ROTARY ENGINE CORPORATION, OF 1\TEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YGRK.

TWO-CYCLE ENGINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PATRICK J. MONAHAN SULLIVAN, a citizen of the United States,

and a resident of VVoodclifi'e-on-Hudson, in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Two-Cycle Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is an improvement in two-cycle internal combustion engines. Although certain features thereof are capable of use in engines having the cylinder stationary and the piston reciprocating as is common practice, all of the features are particularly adapted for, and useful in, an engine having the cylinder and piston bodily carried by and movable with oppositelyfrot'ating parts such as cranks of crank shafts, so as to produce the relative reciprocation of the piston and cylinder'as they travel in their circular paths and maintain their axes at all times in parallelism with an initial position.- I havebroadly claimed important features of such an engine in my prior Patents I 1,274,812 and 1,274,813 issued August 6th, 1918, illustrating such features embodied in four-cycle engines- My present inventionresides primarily in the means for delivering gases to the workin chamber and controlling and timing the1r flow thereto and escape therefrom.

As animportant feature of my invention,

I utilize one end of a double-ended cylinder as the compression chamber and the opposite end as the working chamber, the intake to the compression chamber being controlled by the movement ofthe cylinder in respect to a stationary part and the flow from the compression chamber to the working chamber being through the double-ended piston.

As a further important feature of my invention, I provide a stationary cam in the path of movement of the exhaust valve stem so that the exhaust valve is automatically and positively held open during a predetermined portion of the cycle of movement of the cylinder.

As a further important feature I aid or,"

facilitate the movement of the cylinder past dead center by the reaction resulting from the impact of the escaping exhaust gases with an abutment or impact surface away Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Dec, 10, 1918.

Application filed June 20, 1918. Serial No. 240,899. 2

from which the cylinder is moving at the time the exhaust valve is open.

Other important features will be pointed out hereinafter in connection with a detailed description of one embodiment of my in vention. It will of course be understood that various difierent embodiments of my invention may be designed and that the form illustrated in the accompanying drawingsfis to be'considered in an illustrative rather than in a limiting sense. 4

In these drawings:

v Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section in the axis of the cylinder and at right angles to the crank shafts showing the parts in the position at the beginning of the power stroke.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to a portion of Fig. 1 but showing the parts at the opposite end of the stroke.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation at right angles to the .plane of Fig. 1, certain portions being broken away and others in section, and

Fig. 4 is a transverse section in the plane of the crank shafts, the cranks being rotated 90 from the position in Figs. 1 and 3.

. In the construction illustrated, I employ a tube in the form of a double-ended cylinder or two cylinders 10 and 11 in axial alinement and rigidly onnected or integral. This tube has bearings 12 and 13 on opposite sides thereof intermediate of its ends for receiving the cranks 14 and 15 of two crank shafts 16 and 17. The shafts are mounted in any suitable form of stationary bearings which form no portion of my present invention. Such bearings may be as shown in my prior patents above referred to, the latter beingpreferred if the engine is to be supported with its axis vertical. The shafts being supported with their axes at fixed distances apart, and with the cranks 14 and 15 parallel, it will be noted that simultaneous rotation of the two shafts in the same direction will give to the cylinder a planetary or circular motion without change of direction of the cylinder axis, in other words, said axis will at all times remain in parallelism with an initial position.

, Intermediate ofthe two shafts 16 and 17 is a third shaft 18 having a crank 19 of the same throw as the cranks 14 and 15. The three shafts are geared or otherwise connected so that the two cylinder supporting shafts rotate in one direction and the intermediate shaft in the opposite direction.

Within the cylinder isa double-ended piston or two pistons 20 and 21, rigidly connected and having an intermediate bearing 22 connected to the crank 19 of the intermediate shaft. Thus the simultaneous rotation of the three shafts effects the relative reciprocation of the cylinder and piston as the two move in opposite directions in circular paths.

The one end of the cylinder for, instance, the chamber in the cylinder end portion 10 constitutes a working or power chamber 23 while the space at the opposite end constitutes a compression chamber 24. For efiecting the delivery of the charge to the compression chamber 24., the crank shafts 16 and 17 with their cranks are hollow or have a passage therethrough andthe crank portions have ports registering with tubes 25 and 26 extending along opposite sides of the cylinder 11 to thefhead' thereof. In or adjacent to the head are one or more inwardly opening check valves 27 of; the spring operated puppet type. These are illustrated as controlling communication between the compression chamber er and a transverse passage 28 on the cylinder head, which passage communicates atits ends with the two tubes 25 and26. Instead of having these check valves for controlling the ad; mission of the charge to; the compression chamber, I lay employ mechanically operated valvesthe same as at the opposite ends as hereinafter described, or I may rely. entirely upon the relative movement of the cranks Ill and 1,5. in their-bearings to control the movement of the gas to the passages 25 and 26and thence to the compression chamher. As shown, the cranks have ports which come into registry with the ends .of'the passages 25'and 26 shortly after the beginning of the suction stroke ofthe piston 21 in the chamber 24c and close shortly after the end of the suction stroke and the beginning of thecompression stroke asillustratedin Fig. 1. With the valves 27 for, controlling the flowthere may be, a series of ports around the entire periphery of the cranks 1 4; and 15 so that there isnoshutoff action ,at these points and thepassage28 is at. all times in communication with the sourceof supply.

The piston has apassageBO leadingfrom one end thereof aroundfthe bearings] 22 to the opposite end'thereof, forthe delivery of compressed] charge from the compression chamber to the working chamber. In this passageand preferably. adjacent to the piston face .20 is, a-checkvalve 31.preferably of the spring operated puppet type opening in the, directionof the chamber 23. Although the transfer of compressed gas, is preferably through a valvecontrolled passage in the piston yet it is evident that there might be a valve controlled passage in the cylinder wall or that the piston itself might constitute the valve for controlling such a cylinder wall passage.

In the cylinder head 32 at the end of the working chamber 23 are one or more exhaust valves 33 preferably of the inwardly opening spring operated puppet type. The valve stemsof these valves are shown as being provided with rollers 34 for engagement with a cam for the mechanical opening of the exhaust valves at the desired point in the cycle.

As one feature of my invention 1 provide a stationary support or frame 85 having thereon stationary cams 36 with which the rollers 34 engage during their bodily movement with the cylinder. These cams may be so positioned and so formed that they open the exhaust valves at any point and close them at any point in the cycle. As shown,

they engage with the rollers 34: to open the exhaust valves. when the piston reaches within about 25 of the end oftho exhaust stroke, and'release the rollers to permit the elosingoft he exhaust valves about 5 past dead center. One roller may engage one cam to operate both valves or one larger valve may serve for the two shown.

The exhaust gas escaping from the chamber 23 upon the opening of these valves enters a passage 37 extending 'transversely of the cylinder head in theplane of movement of-"the cylinder. Although an exhaust manifoldlmight be connected to the end of. this passage, yet I may permit the directjdischarge of the exhaust gas to the atmosphere as shown. This directdischarge-facilitates the use of a baffieagainst which the exhaust gas. may strike. to result in a reaction or back-pressure laterally-of the cylinder; and a resulting side thrust on the cylinder to helpit over dead, center or aid it in this part of its cycle when it is receiving no power on the piston. I have shown a baffle plate 38 supported by the frame 35 and having a curved surface 39. so positioned that the exhaust gas strikes it when the exhaust valve 01' valves are. opened.

In the operation oftmy improved engine. the ends of thecrank shafts 16 and 17, if both be hollow. and serve. for. the delivery of charge, are connected to a carbureter or other, source of explosive mixture and the relative movement ofthe cylinder and piston draws this, chargepast the valves 27 to the compression chamber during the intake of, thesuction stroke, Duringthe return stroke. the charge is compressed as it cannot return past the valves 27 and it. cannot escape past the valve 31 in view of thematerially higher pressure of the burning or exploding charge on the opposite side of the valve. At the instant the valve stem rollersstrike the cams 36 the exhaust valves are drawn into the chamber 24:. Ignition takes place and the operation is repeated,

As the cylinders are bodily moving, water-jacket cooling is unnecessary and suflicient cooling action is secured by the use of appropriate fins or radiating flanges on the cylinder 10 and its head. Similar radiating fins may be employed on the cylinder of the compression chamber and have been illustrated although they are not as necessary 'dueto the comparatively lower temperature at this end of, the engine. The cams 36 may be adjusted by suitably adjusted screws to vary the extent to. which the exhaust valves 33 are opened, and various different forms of cams may be employed in accordance with the time at which it isdesired to epen and close said valves. As previously intimated, the same form of cam operated mecha-nical valves may be employed for controlling theinlet .to the compression chamber 24, although this is not ordinarily necessary or desirable.

Not only may I use the same general form of frame for-supporting this engine as is illustrated in Patent 1,27,813 but I may also employ the same form of intake manifold, ignition mechanism, shaft connecting gearing, and other details illustrated in that patent or in my Patent'l,274,812.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A two-cycle engine, having a doubleended cylinder, a double-ended'piston, and

means for mounting and connecting them for bodily movement in opposite directions in circular paths without change of direction of their common axis. said cylinder having an inlet port at one end thereof, and

an exhaust port at the opposite end, and said piston having a valve controlled pas sage from one end to the other.

A two-cycle engine. including a doubleended cylinder, having one end serving as a compression chamber and the other as a working chamber, means for bodily moving said cylinder along a predetermined curved path, a double-ended piston within said cylinder, means for bodily moving said piston along said path in the opposite direction for effecting relative reciprocation of the piston and cylinder, means for supplying charge to one end of the cylinder, means for transferring compressed charge to the opposite end,;:and means for controllin the escape of said gas from said last mentloned end.

3. A two-cycle engine, includingadoubleended cylinder, having a checkvalve controlled inlet in one end, a mechanically-op erated exhaustvalve at the opposite end, a double-ended piston within said cylinder having a check valve controlled passage extending lengthwise therethrough, and means for imparting to said cylinder and said piston opposite planetary movements while maintaining their common axis in parallelism with an initial position.

a. A double-ended cylinder, a doubleended piston therein, apair of hollow crank shafts on opposite sides having parallel cranks connected to said cylinder intermedinected to said cylinder intermediate of the ends of the latter to'support said cylinder, one f said shafts having a fuel supply passage therethrough, apassage connecting the interior. of the crank of saidlastmentioned shaft and one end of said cylinder, an exhaust port at the opposite end of said cylinder, and a passage for transferring compressed charge from the chamber at the first mentioned end to the chamber at the last mentioned end, and separate check valves controlling said passages.

6. A two cycle engine, including a doubleended cylinder, having an inwardly opening check valve at one end, an inwardly opening mechanically operated valve at the opposite end, a double-ended piston, having a check valve controlled passage from the first mentioned end to the second mentioned end of the cylinder, and means for effecting a relative reciprocation of said piston and cylinder in opposite directions while bodily moving them in opposite directions along circular paths;

7. A two-cycle engine, having a doubleended cylinder, a double-ended piston therein, a hollow crank shaft having its crank connected to said oylindena passage connecting the interior of said crank with one end of said cylinder, a separate crank shaft having its crank connected to said piston, an exhaust valve at the opposite end of said cylinder, and stationary means with which said valve engages during the bodily movemen-t of said cylinder to effect the opening and closing of saidvalve. v

8. An internal combustion engine, having a cylinder provided with an exhaust port-,a valve for controlling said port, means for imparting a planetary movement to said cylinder :While maintaining itsaxis inparallelism withanl initial position,andaistationary cam With which the said valve engages to effect the relative movement ofsaid valve inrespect to said cylinderduring said bodily movement of the latter,

9. "An; internalcombustion engine, having a cylinder, a pair of crankshafts' havmg their cranks connected to said cylinder for supporting" the-latter-and imparting to it bodily movement Without change of di-' rection of the axis thereof, a valve carried by said cylinder, and.a'statio11ary cam in the path of movement of said valve.

10. In combination, a pair of crank-shafts having parallel cranks, a cylinder bodily carried by said cranks, and held thereby against change ofdirection of the axis therein one end of saidcylinder and havinga movement relative thereto in the dlrectlon of 'theaxis of the cylinder, a springfor normally .holding said valve closed, and a stationary cam mounted independently of said cylinder, and With Which'thestem'of said valve may engage to operate the latter at' a predetermined point in the-vpath of movement of the cylinder. 7

12.'An internal combustion engine,r.hav-

inga cylinder mounted. for planetarymovement While maintaining its axis in parallelism with an initial position-and. provided with an' exhaust port," having a corresponding planetary movement, and a stationary bafiie so positioned that the exhaust gasesin escaping from said port engageithe'rew'ith and aid the bodily movementofithe, cylind'erand its port away from saidbafi flc.

13. An internal combustion engine, "having a cylinder, a pair of crank shafts havin ftheir cranks secured to and 'supporting s'ai cylinder, whereby the latter "may'move' in a circular path-Without change'of direction of the axis" thereof, and means in" the ."pathof the exhaustf gases escaping from said cylinderfor efl ecting a reaction on the' cylinder, and aiding thebodily-movement of said cylinder away from said means.

Signed atNeW "York in the county of New York and "State of *N'e'sv York thi 19th day of June, 1918. V i V P ATRICK JQMONAHAN SULLTVAN.

Copies of this patent'may be obtained for five centseach, addressing the commissioner of'P'atents, Washingtom'D. 0. 

